When author and naturalist Sy Montgomery spent a day at falconer Nancy Cowan’s New England farm, home to a dozen magnificent birds of prey, it was the start of a deep love affair. That’s when she met Jazz, a feisty, four-year-old female Harris’s hawk with a wingspan of more than four feet. Not a pet, Jazz was a fierce predator with talons that could pierce skin and bone, and yet she was willing to work with a human to hunt.
Montgomery fell under the magnetic spell of the hawk, and over the next few years she spent more time with these creatures, getting to know their extraordinary abilities and instincts. Deeply emotional animals, hawks are quick to show anger and frustration and can hold a grudge for years. But they are also loyal and intensely aware of their surroundings. In a fascinating program highlighted by splendid color photos, Montgomery recalls her time in the world of hawks and shares what they can teach us about nature, life, and love.
Her book, The Hawk’s Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty (Atria Books), is available for purchase.
Book Sale Information
Patron Information
- If you register multiple individuals, you will be asked to supply individual names and email addresses so they can receive a Zoom link email. Please note that if there is a change in program schedule or a cancellation, we will notify you via email, and it will be your responsibility to notify other registrants in your group.
- Unless otherwise noted, registration for streaming programs typically closes two hours prior to the start time on the date of the program.
- Once registered, patrons should receive an automatic email confirmation from CustomerService@SmithsonianAssociates.org.
- Separate Zoom link information will be emailed closer to the date of the program. If you do not receive your Zoom link information 24 hours prior to the start of the program, please email Customer Service for assistance.
- View Common FAQs about our Streaming Programs on Zoom.
